Reason For Living
by koa-chan
Summary: Lelouch and C.C. on a quiet Christmas morning. / sidestory to 'A Consequence to Forever' - LelouchCC


**A/N:** Dear GOD, how I missed writing fanfics.

A belated Christmas gift to everyone. I told you that I'll be coming back for Christmas. I'm a little late, but maybe that's various chores holding me back.

Anyways, this could be a sidestory to _A Consequence to Forever_, but can relatively be stand-alone as well.

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**Reason for Living**

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When C.C. woke up with Lelouch staring down at her and smiling, she chuckled and promptly went back to sleep, turning to her other side, a small smile plastered to her face.

He must be up to something.

Lelouch raised an eyebrow, leaning down to peek at her face. "Hey, what? You don't like my present?"

C.C. peered one eye open and looked at him sleepily. "What present?"

"See, my arm is getting sore with this."

Lelouch, half-lying beside her, had his arm raised above them, a small item in his hand. C.C. looked at it and smiled at him silly, turning to face him and look at him as if he had done something so stupid.

"Are you trying to be romantic again?"

"Can't see anything wrong with that, specially if I'm getting good at it."

C.C. sighed, amused.

The raven-head looked down at her. "Good morning. Merry Christmas."

The woman nodded. "Merry Christmas." He leaned down and she returned his kiss, a hand reaching out to touch his face as their lips locked. The gesture didn't last too long, but when they broke apart to catch their breath, Lelouch leaned down again and kissed the green-haired immortal. C.C. laughed lightly against his lips, and only made a move to grab his lifted hand and put down his silly little 'present'.

After the kiss, Lelouch sat up and looked down at his companion. The woman was looking at him pointely, despite her sleepy expression. "You don't need a mistletoe to kiss me, you know."

The raven-head shrugged. "I just thought it'd be nice."

"You're getting sillier by the day, Lelouch."

"I guess that's a side-effect to immortality. Just look at you."

C.C. slapped his arm halfheartedly, pretending to be annoyed, but did not miss a chance to give a smart retort. After all, that was her nature. "I guess it is, but you're learning incredibly fast. Perhaps you're a natural in the field of being silly."

Lelouch shook his head, watching the woman take the mistletoe from him and play with the small leaves lazily as he replied, "No, I just have a good mentor."

It has always been a battle on who has the quirkier statement. C.C. looked at him, then returned to the small plant in her hands. "Ah, but you're learning without lectures. That's impressive."

A soft sound by the doorway. Both turned to look at a white cat purring gently at them.

C.C. also sat up. "Well, guess who. Good morning, Monna."

The little white cat mewed as she bounded towards them, snuggling against Lelouch's arms. He whispered, "Merry Christmas, Monna." while C.C. reached a hand to stroke the cat's fur.

Lelouch sighed, looking at his partner. The woman was running a hand through her green locks. "Monna's awake. That means... well, you know what that means."

"Yes, I'm just waiting." C.C. chuckled, tying her hair with a black ribbon. Lelouch helped her tie it.

They listened carefully to the sound of footsteps in the hallway outside their room. Both code-bearers heard the soft pitter-patter of little feet towards their sitting room, a quick pause, and then the loud, excited padding of running feet against the floor.

"Mom! Dad!" - a muffled call from outside their room.

The sounds were getting louder by each passing second, and finally a little girl, with long flowing white hair and huge crystal blue eyes pushed their door open, panting. "MOOOOM! DAAAAAD!" - she hurriedly ran towards them, climbed up the bed and jumped up and down. "Mom! Dad! Santa's gifts are huge!"

Both parents laughed, looking up at the bouncing girl on their bed. Lelouch asked, "That true? I don't remember you being a really really good girl..."

The child pouted, cheeks puffed stubbornly. She stopped bouncing and sat down between them, clinging to his shirt. "There's a really big box by the Christmas tree! I AM a good girl, dad!"

"Are you, now?" C.C. asked. The girl sniffed in disdain, then her face lit up as her mother spread out her arms. "Then give us our good morning kiss before I believe that you've been a good girl."

"Roger, ma'am!" the girl said, then launched herself towards her mother. "Merry Christmas, mom!" - the girl kissed C.C.'s cheek. "Merry Christmas, dad!" - another kiss, to her father. Then she picked Monna up and snuggled against the cat. "M'Christmas, Monna."

"Merry Christmas, Lyllie." Lelouched whispered lightly. He caught C.C. looking at him, then smiled.

"Wow, Mom, is that a mistletoe?" the girl asked, blinking at the item in her mother's hands.

C.C. nodded. "Yes, your dad gave it to me first thing in the morning."

"Daddy just wants a kiss." the girl said, grinning at her raven-haired father figure. "He's so cheesy." Lelouch ruffled her hair and she giggled. "Alright! Let's open our presents!"

Lelouch chuckled again, then withdrew from the covers and stood up. "Right, then. I can see you can hardly wait." C.C. sat up and stood up as well, putting on her robe above her small dress.

The girl remained sitting on the bed. "Dad, you should lift me up."

C.C. laughed at the request as she picked Monna up from the bed. Lelouch raised an eyebrow. "Lift you up? But you're six now, Lyllie."

The girl pouted. "But I waaaaant you to carry me. Besides, it's Christmas!" - a bright smile. No one could resist that.

Lelouch sighed, then turned his back to the girl. "Alright, upsy-daisy."

"Yaaaaay!" A delighted squeal, and the girl glomped on her father's back, clinging tightly.

Lelouch frowned a bit, commenting "Someone's getting heavy." as they went out the room.

C.C. having watched the whole exchange, followed closely behind, but not before remarking, "Someone's getting old." and getting a half-hearted glare from her partner.

"Shut up." Lelouch mumbled grumpily. Lylliene giggled loudly - sometimes, her parents argued as if they were both younger than her.

Monna purred against C.C.'s neck as they reached the sitting room and Lelouch put down the white-haired girl. C.C. sat down on the couch and watched Lelouch help Lyllie open her presents. The girl was so overjoyed to unravel a huge dollhouse, that she had instantly, excitedly told her dad about what she planned to do with it and which of her friends she's calling over to play with.

C.C. watched them silently, absently stroking Monna's fur as the cat lounged on her lap. Lelouch caught her staring, then raised an eyebrow at her silent expression. She shook him off with a shake of her head and a gesture that said 'Nevermind me.' and she continued to look over the two people she valued most in the world.

Lelouch sent her a strange grin, before paying his attention to his daughter again.

C.C. smiled - she could care less about what would happen the next day, or the following days until her immortality ends. And she could not help but realize how she was lucky to last long enough to have this single moment that she would wholeheartedly give anything up for if she could make it last longer.

Moments like this make her ask herself why on Earth did she once think that life is not worth living.

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**~ finis.**

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**A/N: **Belated Merry Christmas. 

I've been AWOL as if I'm on the run for some big crime, and I miss the community so much _and_ I've been on a fanfic-slump because of more original ideas. Also, I feel so bad for ditching ongoing series due to said slump _and_ damned school catching up and bringing on hell right from the start of the semester and until a week _past_ Christmas break. Needless to say, it's a bad time for fics and me, even though my original works held up remarkably well.

Alas, I finally wrote a Christmas-themed story as a gift to everyone who have been there to support me even when I've been buried a hundred feet under. And this is my first time in a _loooooong _while writing a CG one-shot that wasn't 10,000-words long. (Yes, I'm pertaining to Semper Fidelis. Haha~) ^^;;

Meanwhile, I've decided to prioritize SLL once again, trying my best to come up with a closing arc to make up for the months that I ditched the poor thing and kept people waiting. Latest chap's been finished since last last month, but I'm thinking of redoing the whole thing, make it better as much as I can.

So - thanks for waiting, for reading, and for those who will, reviewing.

LOVE LOVE LOVE. Also, an advanced Happy New Year greeting.


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